Missing the Misery
by Malley
Summary: Jane loses his memory and becomes the womanizing con artist from his carnival days. To make matters worse, he tries to seduce Lisbon! SPOILERS for episode 4x10, Fugue in Red. Title inspired by the song 'Miss the Misery' by the Foo Fighters.


**Disclaimer:**** I do not own The Mentalist or any of its characters.** Nope. Not mine.

***SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 4x10 FUGUE IN RED INSIDE***

**A/N:** Hello everyone! Haven't posted in a while! Not too many episodes in the past few weeks and the one episode we did have didn't give me much to work with, so it's been a while. I got the idea for this one-shot when I read a preview for the episode 4x10, Fugue in Red. Jane loses his memory and becomes his old con artist self? Priceless. So I was talking to my sister and I thought to myself, what would happened if amnesiac Jane hit on Lisbon? A day and half later, this fiction was finished. Just a quick little one-shot, so enjoy!  
><em>(The title for this fiction is inspired by a song from the Foo Fighters, "Miss the Misery.")<em>

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><p><span>Missing the Misery<span>

Lisbon snuck into her office amidst the chaos to gain a moment's reprieve. As scary as it was to nearly lose Jane, the aftermath was just as frightening, but for different reasons. After Jane's near death experience, he developed an amnesia of sorts…to put it simply, her consultant and best friend Patrick Jane had reverted back to the womanizing, con artist persona that he had adopted during his carnival days. Add in his brilliant smile, good looks and natural charm and it was a dangerous combination. And that was scary in itself.

_His brain needs to heal itself_,the doctor had told her and the team. _You can't tell him what happened_. Jane had forgotten a great deal of years, his memory picking up somewhere before the introduction of Red John into his life. Lisbon and the team, in fact, had to tell Jane that he was a consultant with the CBI, and even had to reintroduce themselves.

Lisbon wasn't sure how many times she had shrieked Jane's name today, courtesy of the trouble she'd always find him in the middle of, because she had given up counting after the tenth time. However, that was practically all she could do since that wonderful doctor told them that they had to be "gentle" with Jane because he was in such a "fragile" state right now. But the kid gloves had to come off, especially when Jane had done the unthinkable…he tried to seduce Lisbon.

Sure, Lisbon and Jane flirted all the time. It was harmless fun that they both looked forward to and enjoyed. Jane had tried to employ his weapons of seduction and charm on her, which was something completely different. As much as she would have loved to have fallen under the spell of Patrick Jane's charm, Lisbon had reminded herself that his motive for doing so had probably been far more sinister and for his own personal gain. It wasn't because he reciprocated her feelings…wait, what feelings?

The only feelings that she had for Jane right now were things like annoyance or frustration, and yes, concern. It was great to see a carefree and truly happy Jane. Yes, she admitted that she was attracted to him. How could she not be? Silky curly blond hair, sapphire eyes, dazzling smile…and a sweet and caring man hidden beneath it all that she couldn't help but fall in love with.

Lisbon cursed her emotions for betraying her. Okay, so maybe she really does love that impossible man. But there was NO WAY she was ever going to let those feelings come to light. Her real Jane was still married to the spirit of Angela and this Jane was…something else. But what that something was, was uncertain. For now, Lisbon decided, it was safer to keep her true thoughts and feelings under wraps…

…Thankfully, Jane's memory had returned and he was back to being his old self. Everyone was relieved to have "normal" Jane back. After their case-closed celebration, the team gradually went their separate ways and headed home for the evening.

Lisbon was in her office, packing her things to leave, when she heard a gentle knock on her office door. She turned to find Jane standing in her doorway.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey-" Jane began, pretending he'd lost his memory again. "-Lisbon."

Lisbon just smiled and shook her head.

"So how bad was I?" Jane asked as he entered Lisbon's office.

"Honestly, that version of you makes the real you seem like a saint." Lisbon replied.

Jane flashed her a bright, yet devious grin.

"So I was on top of my game then?"

"Unfortunately," Lisbon said. "You tried to hold a fake séance in a bar full of firefighters that could pummel you."

Jane looked pleased with his accomplishment.

"How much do you remember of the last few days?" Lisbon inquired.

She had her fingers crossed that Jane didn't remember him flirting with her…and her desire to swoon under the spell of his charms.

"I remember bits and pieces." Jane said. "Right now, I'm just trying to determine if it's better to have forgotten the past couple of days or nearly two decades of my life."

Jane paused before adding:

"I remember telling you how beautiful you are…how mesmerizing your emerald green eyes are…how your smile makes my heart melt…among other things."

Lisbon's skin felt as it had been set ablaze and she was sure that her face was redder than Rigsby's face whenever he forgets how to speak in front of Van Pelt.

"You remember that?" she asked quietly.

Jane nodded.

"I'm sorry all of that had to come out then. I guess that it was the only time I'd have the confidence to say those things."

Lisbon looked at him questioningly.

"I still mean it, Teresa. Everything I said to you is true." Jane explained. "And I know you feel the same way."

"What makes you say that?"

Jane smiled:

"I'm a Mentalist. It's what I get paid for."

Lisbon let out a breath. Why did he always have to be right?

"So what are we supposed to do about it?" she asked him.

"I don't know." Jane said. "I'm afraid to act on my feelings and lose you, Teresa. I couldn't handle it if anything happened to you."

Lisbon nodded in understanding.

"But," Jane continued. "I don't want to say no and lose you to someone else."

Lisbon came around from behind her desk and approached Jane. She stood on her tiptoes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Jane beamed in response. He then pulled Lisbon to him in an embrace (of love and relief).

"I figured out my answer, by the way." Jane mumbled, still holding Lisbon to him.

"To what?"

"About what I'd rather forget, a few days or many years."

"Yeah?"

"I'd rather lose a few days of ignorant happiness than forget years of being miserable with the one I love." Jane explained, referring to Lisbon.

Lisbon smiled up at Jane.

"Me too."

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><p>My two anniversary of being a writer on FanFiction (when my first story, Prank Master, was published) is coming up soon...so this is my present to you!<p> 


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